I Became The Mother Of the Male Lead Who Lives With An Adulterous Man

Theodore was puzzled.

“J, J, J, Jane?”

“How could you do this to me!”

“What?”

A tearful Jane shouted, throwing the shredded paper at Theodore.

“When have I ever asked you for money? It happened a few times maybe, but the rest of the time, you just gave it to me! I told you I loved you and you say you love me, so how could you frame my dad like this?”

Frame?

He didn’t know what she was talking about, but Theodore was also angry now. He was irritated with Jane, who repeatedly slapped him, without even telling him what was going on.

Besides, he just gave her money? If he didn’t give it to her, wouldn’t she always ignore him, feeling disappointed?

“Hey, Jane.”

“Don’t call my name! You said the banquet hall would be safe! I told you I didn’t want to go! How could you force me to go and do such a terrible thing to me, and then not come to see me, even once?”

“When did you say you didn’t want to go! I was just being polite, and what do you mean terrible? You took my pants off first!”

“I don’t care anymore! Just get away from me! I was a fool to love someone like you!”

Bang!

After finishing what she had to say, Jane slammed the door without even looking back.

“Jane! Open the door! Jane!”

He pounded on the door several times, then the neighbors shouted at him, asking what the hell he was doing in the middle of the night. Even after all that, Jane still didn’t show her face.

“Ha. What the hell is going on?”

He sighed in disbelief and ran a hand through his wet hair. His eyes fell on the scrap of paper at his feet.

“How dare she throw this garbage at me?”

Out of frustration, he picked up the piece of paper and saw some strange writing.

 

[… accusation…]

 

“Accusation? What accusation?”

Could it be that Jane was accused of something because of what happened at the banquet hall? That meant he was about to be accused, as well.

A chill ran down his spine.

Theodore quickly picked up the pieces of paper that had fallen on the ground and sat down under the light of a nearby window, putting the pieces back together.

Although the writing was smudged by water and some of the pieces were missing, the majority of the content was still readable.

“Carl is going to prison for stealing from the Elrosa family?”

What does that mean?

Carl didn’t steal the family’s wealth. He checked his ledger not long ago after being beaten by Berengella. It was clearly Theodore who had embezzled the Elrosa family’s wealth.

If Carl was guilty, it was only because he’d done what Theodore told him to do.

But if he was going to jail for it, Theodore wouldn’t have to.

“What the hell is going on? Who did this…?”

The only people who knew that Theodore had embezzled the Elrosa family’s wealth were himself, Carl, Rachel, Berengella, and Jane.

Jane was not the culprit. She loved her own father dearly. She couldn’t have framed him like this.

Berengella had been locked in the townhouse with him the entire time, and there was no way Carl would have reported himself.

There was only one person left.

His hair stood on end, as if struck by lightning.

“Rachel!”

Rachel had framed Carl for his sins!

His hands were shaking from excitement.

“She knew I’d had an affair, but she still blamed this on Carl? To absolve my sins? Ha.”

He’d thought she was a foolish woman.

His heart was pounding wildly.

He remembered Jane slapping him and soaking him with water.

‘You took all that money and then got angry because your father was convicted. What a hypocrite!’

Honestly, Carl was not completely innocent. It was true that he assisted in embezzling property and evading taxes!

Moreover, it was Jane who received that money. Jane and Carl were family, so it wasn’t really a stretch to say that Carl had stolen the Elrosa family’s wealth.

Rachel, on the other hand, when she found out about the affair, she didn’t slap him or splash him with water. She was elegant and respectful. She didn’t bother to call him out on his wrongdoing.

Instead, she quietly covered up her husband’s faults!

‘Was Rachel always this wonderful? Just as my mother said, Rachel was the best wife I could have. I’ll go see Rachel as soon as the sun rises tomorrow. She’ll be waiting for me.’

This was something Rachel hadn’t expected. Theodore, who was so guided by romance, may actually feel more attracted to her because of her plan!

Theodore picked up the torn paper, put it in his pocket, and smiled brightly as he thought of Rachel.

 

* * *

 

Graham, who went out to the garden early, was in a very good mood.

“I’m really looking forward to learning swordsmanship so I can officially protect mom!”

“I know. Mom’s looking forward to it too!”

Rachel and Graham looked at each other and burst into laughter.

When she told Cian that Graham would like him to train him in swordsmanship, Cian replied that he would come to the mansion right away.

She didn’t know what would happen when she got divorced and move out, but it didn’t matter. If she got divorced, they can train somewhere else.

As they were waiting for Cian they happily chatted.

Someone approached them, out of breath.

“Your Highness, you arrived earlier than expected…”

“Rachel!”

It was Theodore who came running, not Cian.

Both Rachel and Graham, who were brimming with anticipation, stiffened.

Theodore opened his arms and tried to embrace Rachel.

Rachel stepped aside in disgust, and Graham held out the wooden sword he’d brought out and stood between Rachel and Theodore.

“Dad, don’t bully Mom.”

Arms that had lost their target were flailing in the air. Theodore cleared his throat, embarrassed.

“Hmm, Graham. This isn’t bullying, it’s an expression of affection.”

Expression of affection?

Rachel snorted in exasperation, and Graham shook his head with a serious look on his face.

“Mom doesn’t like it. If she doesn’t like it, then it bullying.”

“Okay, okay. Put down the stick. What are you going to do to your Dad?”

The tone was stern, but there was something like joy also present in his voice.

Why was that crazy guy acting like this all of a sudden? Has he really lost his mind?

Anyway, she had to meet him at least once more at some point, so she thought this actually worked out well.

“Graham. Mom needs to talk to Dad, so would you mind going into the mansion for a moment? I’ll call you later when His Highness the Archduke comes.”

“But, Mom…”

“Please. I have something to talk about with your dad.”

“…”

Graham lowered his shoulders sullenly. The child, who seemed to be frozen in place, nodded his head only after a while.

“…If dad is bothering you, be sure to tell me. I’ll protect you.”

“Okay. If dad bullies me, I’ll scream, so you have to run and save me. Understand?”

“Yeah. I promise!”

Graham entered the mansion only after intertwining his little finger with hers.

As soon as the child disappeared, Theodore approached Rachel as if he had been waiting.

“Rachel, I missed you.”

“Why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be in hiding, how did you get here?”

“It’s was you, right? The one who framed Carl for tax evasion.”

“That’s right.”

“Ha. I see. Rachel, it was you.”

Theodore looked quite moved.

“Thank you. After everything, there was still only you here for me. Have I been going out too much while leaving you alone? I was stupid. I admit it. I’m going to get rid of that girl. I want to spend more time with you again.”

… What was this guy saying now?

She laughed because it was so absurd.

“I have no intention of spending time with you again?”

“Ah, I’m sorry. We’re already a couple. Hahaha, same here! Okay! Let’s live well like we do now!”

“Stop spewing nonsense. Are you an idiot?”

“… Idiot?”

“I have no intention of living well with you. I was already planning to meet and talk, but since you happened to come by, let’s do it now.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about divorce.”

Only then did Theodore’s mouth, which had been speaking nonsense, close.

Rachel called a passing employee over and had him bring her the divorce papers she’d prepared in advance. After confirming that everything in the document was filled out, she threw the papers toward Theodore.

“Here. Take it.”

“Dear, Rachel, why are you acting like this all of a sudden? You love me, right?”

“Love? I don’t think so, you must be mistaken.”

“You gave me the cufflinks! You put the blame on Carl!”

Blinking dazedly, Theodore shook his head.

“No. You’re out of your mind right now. Let’s talk again later. Divorce. How could we get divorced?”

“What are you talking about? Go and hold onto your beloved Jane. Don’t do that here, it’s gross.”

“Rachel!”

It seems that Theodore misunderstood the reason she’d framed Carl. He thought it was because she loved him.

This was unexpected.

After cheating on her for so long, he’s going to end things with ‘that woman’, so they can ‘live a good life together’?

Cian was right. You can’t predict another person’s heart. She did as he said and applied for an annulment of their marriage.

Rachel took off the wedding ring from her left ring finger and threw it at Theodore. Tang! The ring hit Theodore’s body and fell onto the grass.

“If you don’t want to sign the papers, then don’t. We’re done anyway. I applied for an annulment with the noble council and the temple.”

“What? You’re going to annul our marriage? Where’s the law on that?”

“Where is it? It’s here. You will have to compensate me my parents’ assets you’ve taken, the dowry I brought when I got married, alimony, and child support.”

“Does it make any sense for our marriage to be annulled? How are you going to invalidate our marriage, which is going well, in front of the nobles and the temple?”

“I’ve made it so.”

A calm voice was heard from behind. It was Cian.

Rachel was so happy that she almost ran towards him.

Cian was walking this way, dressed neatly in his knights’ training uniform.

Theodore gaped.

“What is your Highness doing here?”

“Do I have to reveal my business to you?”

Cian responded coldly and approached Rachel. He spoke softly and gracefully.

“Lady Rachel. Long time no see.”

Lady Rachel!

This meant that the application for annulment had been approved!

Unlike Rachel’s brightly shining face, Theodore’s face was bewildered.

“Your Highness! Why are you calling my wife Lady? If you insult me ​​and my wife any further, I will report His Highness the Archduke to the Council of Nobles!”

Cian laughed lightly.

He couldn’t believe Theodore was going to report the person, who was practically the backbone of the Council of Nobles, to the Council of Nobles. It was just ridiculous.

“I’m afraid you can’t do that.”

“Doesn’t aristocratic law state that problems that arise in aristocratic society can be brought to the attention of the council of nobles? Your Highness the Archduke is no exception!”

“That is true. ‘Any noble’ can report me to the Council of Nobles. But you are an exception. You can’t accuse me.”

“W-what are you saying…!”

Cian smiled lightly at Rachel and turned to Theodore.

Cian’s sword left its sheath and stretched forward. The sword that gently cut through the air grazed Theodore’s waist.

“Wah… Your Highness!”

An object the size of a palm fell to the floor, and Theodore collapsed.

Cian, sword still in hand, looked down at Theodore with an indifferent face.

“Theodore. From this moment on, you are no longer a noble.”

Theodore’s noble nameplate, cut by Cian’s sword, was lying on the ground.